Just incase you've been living under a rock for the 2016 Olympics, Katie Ledecky is killing the distance swimming game. She not only has broken her own world records in the 400 meter, and 800 meter freestyle, she won gold in those two events and the 200 freestyle along with the 800 freestyle relay, AND silver in the 400 freestyle relay.Yes you read that right. Her own WORLD records. Not to mention multiple times. AND four gold medals and one silver
However, its not that she just broke through and became a star in the swimming world. But, with the attention she's been getting, it sure is making it seem that way. Some people say she's the Michael Phelps of girls swimming but she doesn't need someone else name to justify how talented she truly is.
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She has been making a name for herself since she was 15 in the London Olympics and won gold in the 800 meter freestyle and had the second fastest time ever and broke the American Record. Just think about what you were doing at 15 years old. Probably being an awkward freshman with braces and Katie Ledecky is halfway around the world competing, breaking records, and winning along with the best athletes in the world, and because of her performance there she won Best Female Performance of the Year and Breakout Performance of the Year at the Golden Goggles….at 15.
Since 2012 she has gone on to win gold in every single individual event at every major meet, from world championships to Olympic games and all the big swim meet in between. From her club team meets, to world championships, to the Pan Pacific championships she's been the Golden Girl. Her only silver since the 2012 Olympics was the 400 freestyle relay from this Olympic Games. This year she set her 11th world record at the Arena Pro Series in Austin in the 800 meter freestyle.
To be one of the best swimmers in the world I can only imagine the intensity of her practices, and the distances she swims daily. Especially being a distance swimmer.
Just this little bit of information alone should tell you that she has accomplished so much just from her little time in the mainstream swimming world. But also that she is just getting started. Theres no doubt that she will break more records, her own, on her way to Tokyo in 2020.
She committed to swim at Stanford University, deferring her first year to focus on training for Rio, where she will start this fall just like the other college freshman across the US, except they all wont have just won 4 gold medals.
